New Morning
by myfairjuliet
Summary: Naraku is defeated, but everything has changed so much that Inuyasha actually wishes he wasn't. The aftermath of Naraku's death makes Inuyasha feel that his existance is meaningless. Please review so I can improve.
1. Another Morning

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, as you all know.

Chapter One

It was a new morning. The sun had risen early and was now peeking over the distant treetops of Inuyasha's Forest, its rays gently caressing the Earth as it rose higher into the light blue sky.

A bird suddenly sprung from its perch in the trees, flying through the air and singing its pleasant song of morning.

The hanyou lay on the roof of Kaede's hut, as he had yesterday and the day before. As he watched the sun rise lazily, he could almost pretend that everything was all right again.

He closed his eyes for a moment. Yes, she was there, sleeping below him, safely tucked into her odd "sleeping bag." Her chest rose and fell with each breath, her mouth hanging slightly open and her eyes closed peacefully.

Shippo clung to her as though she was his mother. He, too, slept peacefully.

She awoke as the sun reached her eyelids, opening them slowly to reveal her big brown eyes. She yawned, stretched, and sat up carefully so as not to wake Shippo. When she realized Inuyasha was not there, she scowled and strode out the door.

"Inuyasha, get down from there! I told you to sleep _inside_ tonight; it's cold!" As she said this, she shivered and hugged herself.

Inuyasha opened his eyes. She was not standing below him. She was not asleep in Kaede's hut. She was not even in this time.

Inuyasha exhaled deeply through his mouth and ignored the empty feeling in his stomach. Kagome had always been such a stupid girl. She ran away from everything.

As he thought this, he felt his thoughts drift toward his memories, then quickly pulled himself away. What's done is done, he thought. There's no use in regrets.

Almost as if on cue, Sango stepped out of Kaede's hut and yawned. Inuyasha pretended he wasn't there. He was not in the mood for Sango right now.

"I know you're there, Inuyasha." Sango said, still yawning. "You can't fool me—you've been sleeping up there for the past week." Damn, Inuyasha thought.

Sango turned around and looked up at him. She smiled. "Good morning." She furrowed her brow. "You look like you haven't slept a wink."

"Bah." Inuyasha scoffed. "Like demons need sleep."

"_Half _demons." Sango reminded him unnecessarily. "Which means you're also half human. Which means you need to sleep."

Indeed, Inuyasha hadn't slept all week, and it definitely showed. His usually smooth silver mane had become knotted and dirty. His golden eyes, once bright and energetic, were now dull and tired. Sango frowned at him, feeling sorry for the poor hanyou.

She knew he didn't want her company, but she still did not hesitate to hoist herself onto the roof and seat herself beside him. "Inuyasha…" She began.

He knew what was coming. The tough love lecture, her version of his life, her suggestions (more like orders) on what to do. He didn't want to hear it.

"Inuyasha, you need to…"

"Sango! I don't—I can't hear it. I'm tired of it!" Sango looked at him in surprise. "What? What are you tired of?"

"Everything! The, the pity in your eyes. The _blame. _ I hate it!" By now, he was standing, angrily glaring down at her.

"Maybe, _maybe _if everyone stopped acting like that, I'd be able to deal with it better. I'd be able to deal with it better if everyone would just stop pitying me!"

"Inuyasha, what are you talking about?"

"But you know what? I don't even need to deal with it! Because I'm fine! Okay? I'm glad she's gone!" Before Sango could say anything else, Inuyasha sprung to the nearest roof and began jumping from roof to roof, heading out of the village.

Sango stared after him. She didn't know what to think.

Underneath her, Kaede opened the flap of her hut and shuffled out. "Sango, what happened?" She asked, looking from Sango to Inuyasha.

"I don't know…" Sango said, still staring after Inuyasha. "Did you try to talk to him?" Kaede asked. Sango nodded. "That's what set him off."

Kaede nodded slowly, and the two women watched Inuyasha, concerned.

With each step, Inuyasha's speed increased. With each jump, he flew higher. He felt like he was on fire.

The villagers watched him in fear as he flew by, and he liked that. Too long had he been the docile pet of a human. Even after she abandoned him, he had still been kept tame. That time was over.

He felt free for once.

He reached the well, not quite knowing himself what he was going to do there. His bare feet landed with a dull thud on the soft ground beside the well. He slowly bent to look down inside the well.

It was dark. He couldn't even see the ground. The walls of the well looked damp and rotted, and some ivy was snaking up the sides. Somehow that upset him. It made him feel as if even the well knew she was never coming back.

A spider had decided to make its nest on the corner of the well, not knowing the history and importance of where it had made its home. Inuyasha scornfully swiped the web away with his claws.

He leaned deeper in the well and sniffed once. He waited…but her scent was gone. Now it smelled only of mildew.

Somewhere inside the well, water was dripping. It made a rhythmic plopping sound, and it drove Inuyasha crazy.

Suddenly frustrated, he spun around and dashed off, springing into a tree. He stayed there until noon.

By then, the village had awoken completely, including Miroku and Shippo.

Shippo had grown very much in Kagome's absence. He no longer cowered from a fight. In fact, he often picked fights with Inuyasha just to see if he was stronger yet. He told everyone that he hated Inuyasha. He told them he would kill Inuyasha when he was stronger.

Miroku, on the other hand, had not grown much. He was still the same old Miroku. Resounding slaps could still be heard wherever he went.

However, much had changed while Kagome had been gone. And if she had been there to see it, she wouldn't have been too happy.

A/N: Whew. I must say, the inspiration for this fanfic struck me quite suddenly. I'm actually home sick as I write this, and for some reason it's better than what I usually come up with when I'm completely healthy! But oh well. Overall, I like the way this chapter turned out. I'm pretty sure I know where this story's going, but my plans could change at any time! Anyway, see you next chapter.


	2. Rekindling

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, as you all know.

Chapter Two

Inuyasha opened his eyes abruptly, his heart racing. It took him a second to realize that he had been sleeping, and to orient himself. He was still in the forest. In a tree, to be exact. He hadn't gone back to the village in two days.

Maybe he was overreacting. Maybe he could give them another chance.

And what will another chance do? He thought. Nothing will change.

And so he stayed in the tree.

He remembered a time when he actually wanted to defeat Naraku. A time where he spent everyday agonizing over that demon, a time where it was his ultimate goal to get revenge.

But now, he'd give anything to bring Naraku back.

If Naraku was alive, then perhaps Kagome would be sitting next to him right now, instead of sulking in her time, or Kami knows what. If Naraku was alive, then he would still have a reason to live. Now he was just…existing.

He jumped when he heard footsteps beneath his tree, but he knew who it was even before he looked down.

"Kikyo." He breathed. He hadn't seen her in years.

She looked up at him, her dark gray eyes both sad and bitter. "Inuyasha." She said softly.

They were both silent for a moment. A cool breeze tousled Kikyo's loose hair, blowing it gently to one side. The leaves whispered to each other, shaking in the wind, as the silence between them grew.

Inuyasha found himself holding his breath as they locked eyes. He knew she was trying to tell him something, and he could feel the importance of it weighing heavy in the air.

Finally, she spoke, her voice almost a whisper. "Inuyasha…I have something of great importance to ask you." Inuyasha nodded in encouragement for her to continue, feeling as though his vocal cords were frozen.

Kikyo looked at the ground and took a deep breath, then once again looked him in the eye, her eyes hard. "Inuyasha—I am going to die. But this time, I am not being cheated of my life; I have chosen death." Inuyasha involuntarily inhaled sharply and felt a jab in his throat; a lump was forming.

"There is nothing left for me, Inuyasha. And I now feel that my time is passing." Inuyasha jumped down from the tree, feeling that he could finally speak again.

"Kikyo, I'm here for you!" He said, but she shook her head sadly. "You're here, but not for me."

Inuyasha growled in frustration. "Don't do it, Kikyo. I'm here!" He insisted.

Kikyo frowned. "Don't make this harder for me, Inuyasha." She said in a threatening voice.

Inuyasha sighed and was quiet. Then, he darted forward. "What do you want from me?" He asked, grabbing her elbows.

Kikyo looked uncomfortable. "I…I want you to make me a woman." She said, not meeting his eyes.

Inuyasha furrowed his brow in confusion. "What?" He asked, not understanding.

Kikyo flushed a little, and Inuyasha almost laughed in surprise at seeing her so vulnerable. Then he got it.

"Oh." He dropped her elbows. "Uh…

"Please don't refuse me!" Kikyo broke out crying suddenly, then turned around to hide her tears, gasping. Inuyasha tried to put his hand on her shoulder in comfort, but she pulled away, embarrassed.

He awkwardly stood there as she cried, her back to him. Eventually, she began to quiet down. "I haven't done that in so long." She said it so quietly Inuyasha thought he wasn't meant to hear it.

"Kikyo…I won't refuse you. So stop crying." Inuyasha pulled her close to him. "It's just a little…surprising." He said, searching his mind for words to comfort her. To tell the truth, he was scared. He had never seen her like this before.

Then again, she had never decided to die before.

He felt the lump reappear at the memory of why she was here anyway. Still, he didn't let it show.

Kikyo sniffed a little, trying to regain her composure, and looked up at him. "Inuyasha…what about Kagome?" She asked. Inuyasha felt his stomach drop in both guilt and worry. He had forgotten about Kagome.

"She's…gone." Inuyasha said. "And she's never coming back." He hoped Kikyo would assume that meant she was dead.

And it seemed like she did. She nodded, sniffed one more time, then looked up timidly at him. Inuyasha hated seeing her like that. It wasn't the Kikyo he knew…and loved.

Very quickly, before he could change his mind, he bent down and kissed her. Kikyo welcomed the kiss, and she stayed with Inuyasha until the next morning.

A/N: Bet you liked _that _chapter, eh? Actually, I'm pretty worried about how that one went. Too much fluff? So much drama it was ridiculous? Argh, please tell me what you think. I went through a lot of emotions as I wrote this chapter though, and I really hope you could feel that. Anyway, please review this one, I'm desperate to know what you think.


End file.
